Course overview

Update and upgrade your business writing skills in just 5 hours. Add detailed textbook Business Writing Plus by business English expert, Rachel McAlpine, and you're ready for any communication challenge.

What you learned about writing at college is not always appropriate in the workforce. Drop the academic writing style and start communicating clearly! Expect this business English course to open your eyes and boost your career prospects.

All professionals need to learn how to write clearly: they are not born with business writing skills. This modern business communication course is very popular for staff training and induction training. Just 5 hours of fast, fun study transforms graduates into useful staff members.

You will learn

• core business writing skills
• clever English grammar and punctuation techniques
• how to improve the clarity of your business writing
• a simple system for structuring and writing business reports
• practical skills that you can apply straight away
• techniques that meet the latest industry standards.

Top features 

• Written by plain language experts and trainers
• Recognised CPD qualification to add to your professional credentials
• Accredited by the CPD Standards Office, UK
• Equivalent to a 1-day business writing workshop
• Takeaway materials and detailed business communication book
• 100% money-back guarantee

Certificate curriculum: 5 online courses

1. Writing plain English, part 1: Make documents easy to read; structure documents for the reader; learn techniques for writing concisely.
2. Writing plain English, part 2: Use words, sentences, lists, verbs and grammar that are easy to understand as well as correct.
3. Modern punctuation: Grasp the principles behind all punctuation. Punctuate and capitalize consistently and correctly.  Avoid common punctuation errors.
4. Painless grammar: Dodge grammar traps and write correct business English; master some key grammar rules; and learn simple English grammar techniques to avoid making mistakes.
5. Writing business reports: Get specific, practical, guidelines for researching, thinking, planning, writing and editing business reports. Includes a QA tool.

Certificate details

Audience: All professionals who write documents, emails and business reports for work. New graduates (work-ready) and new staff (induction).  

Prerequisite: None, apart from a computer and internet access.

Qualification: Professional development qualification, independently accredited by the CPD Standards Office UK: 5 credits for your CPD record. 

Time and place: Distance learning courses. Start any time within 12 months. Study online at your own pace.

Duration: You can access the online courses for 90 days from the time you first log in. Equivalent to 1-day professional writing workshop.

Assessment: 5 online tests.

Authors: Alice Hearnshaw and Rachel McAlpine are the course authors. Rachel McAlpine, a plain language expert, is the author of the textbook. Rachel has taught business writing and communication skills in Australia, Japan, China, New Zealand and Singapore.

About the textbook: Business Writing Plus

Update your communication skills for the digital workplace. Every office needs a copy of this handbook, which places business writing firmly in the real world of social media, search engines and online publishing tools.

The basics of business writing are well covered, from emails to policy writing, from grammar to slideshows. A friendly guide to digital communication, this book also shows how to make information easy to find, access, understand and use.

Rachel McAlpine combines valuable insights with quick techniques which will immediately improve all business writing. And like all Rachel's technical writing books, this one is entertaining as well as authoritative.

Book: table of contents

Rachel McAlpine's comprehensive book includes 14 Chapters and 305 pages

1. First things first
2. Write plain language
3. Digital communication
4. Writing business letters
5. Make the most of email
6. Write the right report
7. Proposals: persuasion in action
8. Policy, procedures and instructions
9. Modern page design
10. Informal and formal meetings
11. Speeches and slideshows
12. Getting it right: grammar
13. Editing and proofreading
14. Corporate responsibilities